Mission Mistletoe
by nat-chan
Summary: Andrew and the gang team up with a crate of mistletoe against Serena and Darien--who will prevail? ;o)
1. Prologue

Mission Mistletoe  
Prologue: The Genius of Andrew is Born  
  
author: nat-chan  
e-mail: natia_99@yahoo.com  
genre: first season romance awwwww  
rated: mistletoe G  
disclaimer: naoko would never attempt as many fics as *I* currently  
have on the go, so you know it's me!! crazy nat-chan o_O heh heh  
  
an's: too many fics on the go, can't talk, must type  
*clack clack clack click* (the sound of obsession)  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
  
  
It was cold.  
  
Serena shivered and shuddered in it as she huddled  
her ears lower into her scarf. The snow had stopped but the gusts  
of wind dropped the temperature well below zero and sent a dreadful  
burning sensation--that couldn't be further from heat if it tried--tingling  
through her legs.  
  
But she kept on, head bowed against the frigid air, determined  
to make it to the arcade and have a hot cocoa.  
  
And she did, triumphantly bursting through the doors, "BRRRRRRR, it is  
*so* cold outside!!!"  
  
Then the voice of her arch nemesis rang out and her spirits fell,  
"Meatballhead! I can't believe you braved this weather! I'm  
impressed!"  
  
And truly he was--along with being pleased as punch at the welcome  
distraction from the rest of his life.  
  
She stuck out her tongue at him and he laughed, but she did take  
a seat at the counter right next to him!  
  
"Hot cocoa please Andrew!" She sang out happily, then shot a glare to  
her enemy.  
  
"What are YOU doing here baka?"  
  
"Glad to see me?" He teased.  
  
"As if!" She cried, but he didn't miss her blush.  
  
A sideways glance to the enemy as her hot cocoa arrived revealed that he too  
was partaking of the same beverage. Her eyes widened in shock.  
  
"Wait....that's not coffee?"  
  
She picked it up and smelled it questionably...then sipped. Darien watched on  
in curious amusement.  
  
"hmmmm...sniff...slurp.....this is hot cocoa!!!!!??????? You're NOT drinking coffee?  
Are you well????"  
  
She stared incredulously at him. He struggled not to laugh, "Yes, I'm deathly ill, so  
the logical drink of choice is hot cocoa?"  
  
"Arrggghhhh baka!!! Can't you ever be serious?"  
  
Now he did laugh, "Serious? I'll have to look that up...."  
  
Andrew suddenly had a small coughing fit from behind the counter.  
Darien NOT serious? Didn't Serena realize that Darien was only ever NOT serious  
around her?! A look to said girls' enraged face revealed 'no'. And heavily into  
the affirmative too.  
  
"Why aren't you drinking coffee? You ALWAYS drink coffee...it's like a rule!"  
  
He paused thoughtfully, apparently this sudden change in his routine was very  
upsetting for her....what a perfect opportunity to tease her!!  
  
"Well by that rule--maybe *you* should have a coffee..." He watched with a grin as   
her adorable face wrinkled up in disgust, "And really Meatballhead, since when  
have you been keeping track of what I drink? Hmmmm?"  
  
The blush that stained her pale young face was worth the effort.  
  
"WHAT????!!!!!! AS IF!!!!! I DO *NOT* CARE WHAT YOU DRINK DARIEN CHIBA!!!!"  
  
His ears no longer hurt from these assaults...perhaps he had sustained permanant and  
irreversible damage....a small price to pay for such joy really.   
  
He smiled that devilish smile, "I'm just drinking hot cocoa because Andrew ran  
out of coffee."  
  
She seemed to calm down upon hearing his explanation, "Oh...well, how does it feel  
to finally drink something NOT utterly disgusting in every way?"  
  
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Well, I do like chocolate...but it's all sugary  
sweetness and no bitterness." He made a face and she almost laughed.  
  
~Just like you.~ He thought wryly but did not say it aloud. Upsetting the delicate  
balance of their relationship seemed to him, a risk of catastrophic proportions at   
best. Besides...he was getting to her, bit by bit.  
  
He listened to her now as she chatted amiably with Andrew in her babbling, ceaseless  
way and smothered a smile.   
  
"Will you be at the Arcade Christmas party?" Andrew asked smiling, he knew the answer  
he just wanted to watch Darien's reaction--always hoping to catch his friend offguard  
and surprise the truth out of him about Serena once and for all.  
  
"For sure!!!!" She chimed enthusiastically, "All the girls are going! We get to   
dress up and have our hair done!!!!"'  
  
A sudden vision of Serena in a pretty ball gown with her hair done up and shining with  
flowers made Darien choke on his cocoa and blush violently.  
  
They both turned towards him, "Are you alright their buddy?" Andrew asked with a smirk.  
  
"Swallowed the wrong way..." Darien managed to choke out.  
  
Serena patted her enemy's back, "Whoa, don't suffocate on me baka!"  
  
Andrew watched Darien highly amused,  
~Victory.~ He thought.  
  
But it wasn't until Darien got up to leave the arcade that Andrew really hatched  
his diabolical scheme.  
  
He sighed regretfully as he finished his cocoa, "Well, as enjoyable as this  
has all been, I really have to go." He rose and leaned towards Serena,  
"Try not to miss me too much Meatballhead!"  
  
"ohhhhhhhhh."  
  
That said, he jaunted towards the door as carefree as a--  
  
"DARIEN!!!!" Serena's voice cut his thoughts--and the authors'--off abruptly.  
  
Andrew and Darien both turned to stare at her.  
  
"*WHAT* do you think you are doing?!??!!" Serena scolded looking furious  
and simulataneously scandalized.  
  
Darien stared rather dumbly at her from the doorway, "I was just going to--"  
  
He never finished as she rushed over to him, "Your coat isn't done up and your  
scarf isn't tied!!!"  
  
And indeed, said items lay carelessly this way and that as Darien stood just  
steps away from the freezing cold.  
  
Serena reached up on tip toe and began bundling the scarf tightly around him  
to his eyes as his muffled protests were lost in the wool.  
  
"You baka, you'll freeze! It's minus 20 out! Are you crazy?! Didn't your  
mother ever teach you to bundle up in the cold????" She scolded ceaselessly  
tightening the scarf and making him choke before doing up the buttons to   
his coat. She noticed the mittens sticking out of his pockets, pulled them  
out and forced them over his hands.  
  
"There." she finished with satisfaction, "You MIGHT not die of hypothermia now."  
  
She reached up to pull a bit of the scarf away from his eyes--thank the gods his blush  
was hidden--and it was at that moment that Andrew's mind made a sharp click.  
  
Serena. Darien. Doorway. Hint of romance.  
  
What a fantastic place to hang mistletoe.....  
  
And so came to be the premise for Andrew's dasterdly plan to somehow put his two  
favorite customers under mistletoe at the Christmas party....  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	2. Chapter 1

Mission Mistletoe  
Chapter 1: Enter Senshi of Love   
  
author: nat-chan  
e-mail: natia_99@yahoo.com  
genre: first season romance awwwww  
rated: mistletoe G  
disclaimer: *rubs hands together* okies, what new way can I plot to steal  
sailormoon.....hmmm....  
*one of santa's elves runs in and whispers in nat-chan's ears, she promptly  
faints*  
o_O nat-chan: agggghhh one more bad disclaimer and I'm off Santa's good list????  
aaaahhhhhhhh!!!!! sigh, you understand minna, I NEED presents!!!  
so, I officially declare, I, nat-chan, do not own sailormoon.   
  
an's: Hi everyone!! *waves* Hope you like? Write me?  
  
minna?  
  
*tumbleweed blows across*  
  
sigh.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Andrew was crunching through the snow towards the arcade, large wooden crate  
in hand when Mina jogged up along side him.  
  
"Hey Andrew!" She chimed happily, eyes turning into little upside down 'U's  
as she smiled at him, "What's in the box?"  
  
Andrew grinned wickedly causing Mina's eyes to widen, "Christmas decorations  
for the party, but mostly....mistletoe."  
  
"Mistletoe?" She echoed.  
  
Andrew nodded, "Yup...I have a plan in the works. You see, Darien and Serena--"  
  
Andrew never did get to finish his self-proclaimed genius of a plan for Mina cut in  
excitedly, "AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! YOU'RE GOING TO TRY AND GET SERENA AND DARIEN TOGETHER???  
NO WAY!!!!!!! I'VE BEEN THINKING OF THAT FOR A WHILE NOW AND MISTLETOE IS THE PERFECT  
PLAN!!! ANDREW YOU'RE A GENIUS!!!!!"  
  
Andrew sweatdropped, looking around to see if anyone heard, "Mina!" He hissed,  
"It's supposed to be a secret plan!!!"  
  
"Oh, sorry." Mina mumbled blushing. Then she hurried ahead and got the arcade door  
for him, "Let me come help you decorate?"  
  
She was inside before he had chance to reply. Then she hurried to the phone,   
"Lita? Mina here, Andrew's planning to get Darien and Serena together   
at the Christmas party! I know, it's perfect! Come over and help alright? And  
call Rei and Ami? Cool! See ya soon!"  
  
click.  
  
"MINA!!!!!!!" Andrew cried in frustration, "Secret plan!!!!"  
  
"We'll all keep it a secret!" She promised, "Come on Andrew, we're Serena's friends  
and we've been trying to come up with this for a while, let us help!!!"  
  
"Alright alright." He agreed, then mumbled, "Like I have a choice...grumblemutter..."  
  
Mina merely giggled in response.  
  
  
Lita was the first to arrive, her arms full of plastic containers, "I was just baking  
holiday sweets! We can use them for the party!!! I mean really, Serena and Darien?  
Could there BE a more worthy cause!!!"  
  
She sat her containers on the counter, "Hey Andrew!" She sang out.  
  
Andrew merely sighed and sweatdropped--although, those sweets sure smelled great.  
  
The next to arrive was Ami, her arms laden with tinsel and a frightening looking  
calculator, "So I can calculate the optimal hanging arrangement for the shape of  
the arcade." She explained as though it were obvious.   
  
Andrew smothered a grin.  
  
Finally Rei arrived and brought some beautiful japanese lanterns to hang.  
And Andrew had to admit, with their help, the arcade was done in no time at all  
and it looked absolutely breathtaking.  
  
"Now," Said Lita grinning and cracking her knuckles, "Down to business. HOW are  
we getting Serena and Darien together?"  
  
"Apparently ANDREW thinks he has a plan....good luck boy, so far we've met with  
nothing but dismal failure." Rei said skeptically.  
  
Ami checked with her computer, "Yes, like that time we tried to lock them in the park  
shed together...."  
  
"And SOMEONE accidentally set FIRE to it!!!!" Grumbled Lita glaring at Rei.  
  
"Hey," Said an indignant Rei, "What about the time you tried to get them stuck  
in the rain with only one umbrella and they were nearly TOASTED by lightening!!??!"  
  
Lita stuck out her tongue at Rei.  
  
"The point is," Mina interjected as Andrew stared oddly at them, "We haven't been  
able to get them together and Andrew has the PERFECT plan!!"  
  
Andrew smiled at Mina's enthusiasm and praise. He'd always liked that girl.  
Hmm...perhaps he'd use his mistletoe plan on more than one person this year....  
  
"So, what's the plan?" Rei asked after the silence surrounding Andrew and Mina's  
goofy grins at one another had become strained.  
  
Mina grabbed up the box of Mistletoe and thumped it down on the table.  
  
"Mistletoe." Said Andrew, ripping it open to reveal heaps of the stuff, "Lot's of  
mistletoe."  
  
The girls sweatdropped at his Matrix-like antics and also at the sheer volume of   
green leafed xmas tradition spilling out from the box in all directions.  
  
"Uh...I hate to break it to you, but we can't hang that much mistletoe in here,  
there won't be a spare space left and everyone will be kissing everyone else all  
night." Said Lita.  
  
"She's right." Ami agreed, comfirming the exact measurements.  
  
Andrew laughed, "Silly silly girls. I only plan to hang one piece over the arcade  
entrance....just like I do every year."  
  
The girls gave him blank stares.  
  
"Why all the extra then? And I never noticed mistletoe there before..."  
  
Andrew nodded, "Exactly. Darien makes it his personal mission to find and destroy  
my mistletoe....but this year I have back up...."  
  
Slowly, each girl joined in with his maniacal smile.  
  
"This could work...." Lita grinned.  
  
"We'll just keep hanging it when he's not looking and get them under it!" Rei laughed.  
  
"Yes!" Mina cheered and all four girls high-fived.   
  
Andrew laughed too.  
  
"What time does the party start?" Ami asked after they stopped giggling and chatting  
about Christmas romance and arch enemies under mistletoe.  
  
Andrew checked his watch, "In about three hours."  
  
"WHAT!!!?????!!!!!" Cried four suddenly desperate looking girls, "WE ONLY HAVE THREE HOURS  
TO GET READY???!!!!"  
  
ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.  
  
With Serena-like speed they shot out of the arcade and to their respective homes to get  
dressed up and do their hair.  
  
Andrew chuckled in their wake and then looked at his box of mistletoe.  
"This year old pal....I'm ready for ya!!!"  
  
And then he smiled a most terrible and wonderful smile.....this year's Christmas party   
mistletoe scheme....would be victory!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	3. Chapter 2

Mission Mistletoe  
Chapter 2: Darien says a mouthful!!! *snickers*   
  
author: nat-chan  
e-mail: natia_99@yahoo.com  
genre: first season romance awwwww  
rated: mistletoe G  
disclaimer:   
nat-chan: *takes out pen and paper*  
'Dear Santa,  
What I really want for Christmas is to own Sailormoon--'  
  
santa: *appears in puff of smoke*  
"WHAT??!!! UNACCEPTABLE! NAOKO IS A PERSONAL FRIEND OF MINE--HOW DARE  
YOU ASK FOR SUCH A THING????!!!!"  
  
nat-chan: "Ahhhh! *bows* I'm so sorry Santa! Please forgive me???!!!!"  
  
serena and darien behind santa illusion: "snicker snicker, worked like a charm!" *high-five*  
  
  
siiiiigh, I'm so abused.  
  
an's: Everyone read chibicori's "You killed Santa Claus" it rocks. D-chan sent it  
to me....soooo funny and sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Merry Christmas Minna!!!!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Serena fidgeted nervously with her dress again. Was it too much? Did it look alright?  
She felt skinny and awkward and all angles.....  
  
Her mother walked in, "Oh sweetie...you look beautiful....all *sniff* grown up! waaaahhh!"  
  
"Mom!!! Pleeeeease! I look skinny and bony and awful...."  
  
"No you don't honey, you look beautiful! That material softens all your corners. You look  
just like a Princess....but *panicked glance to doorway* don't let your father see you  
in it...."  
  
She wrapped Serena's coat around her and hurried her to the door, "Bye sweetie, have a  
great time!"  
  
And with that, Serena was shoved out in the cold--door slamming behind her.  
  
She crunched through the snow listlessly, her mind on the strange episode with her  
nemesis in the arcade doorway recently. Why had she cared if her enemy froze? What had  
possessed her to even touch his scarf? It was probably contaminated with jerk-germs!  
  
But the teasing and nicknames and general hate she held for the dark-haired wonder had   
vanished when she realized he was going out into the cold unprepared. Why WAS that?  
  
I mean, just because he was devastatingly handsome was irrelovant to their hate-hate  
relationship wasn't it?  
  
But if he froze to death she would feel....terribly. She frowned, but then brightened  
as she realized, ~Alright, maybe I don't want him to FREEZE to death, but if a plane  
full of rotton eggs dropped it's contents on him...that would be TOTALLY okay.~  
  
Glad that balance was once again restored to the Universe, she skipped merrily the rest  
of the way.  
  
  
Meanwhile....  
  
The girls arrived in all their glory and noted the mistletoe hung carefully in the doorway.  
They headed to the counter and Andrew poured them each a warm cider.  
  
"That's the second one, Darien's already here." He gestured to Darien, caught wretchedly  
in the corner talking to three flirting girls, "And I have to give it to him, he's quick,  
I can never catch him."  
  
And truly he was. They went through six pieces without actually seeing him remove it.  
Cursed tall man!!  
  
Rei was ready to deck him and Lita offered to--when they finally caught him near the doorway.  
He had his hands in his pockets, whistling casually, eyeing the mistletoe with a flicker  
of annoyance.  
  
Why oh why did Andrew insist on this every year...especially after that year he'd had to  
kiss....shudder....that red-haired girl...what was her name? hmmm...he seemed to have  
erased it from his memory...what a shame.   
  
He was contemplating more subtle tuxedo-mask-like ways to remove it when his eyes suddenly  
widened as he spotted Serena inches from the arcade doorway.  
  
Oh no!!!! He couldn't get caught like this with her!!!! She'd freak!!  
  
So, in one swift motion, as the girls and Andrew watched, he jumped up as though making a  
backwards slam-dunk, ripped the leafy disturbance clear off the overhang and leapt out of  
the way, landing on his backside behind a chair.  
  
Andrew never blinked, the girls eyes were wide.  
  
"Did everyone else...see that?" Lita breathed.  
  
They nodded.  
  
Jangle. Enter Serena.  
  
They looked up.  
  
"He saw her coming." Rei exclaimed in a whisper.  
  
"Relax, I still have tons of mistletoe."  
  
Serena walked in and glanced around, noticed her fallen enemy awkwardly on his backside  
and thanked the Gods for such an opportunity, walking over to take full advantage.  
  
Andrew and the girls watched as Darien glanced from the mistletoe to Serena desperately.  
There was nowhere to put it!  
  
Finally, he shoved it in his mouth, his eyes wild.  
  
"Well, well, well....seems the klutz attack is YOURS today baka! hahahahaha, or do you  
just LIKE it on the floor? Hmmm?"  
  
Darien frowned but his mouth was full of mistletoe! What was he to do?  
  
Serena's eyes widened, "Why, no witty retort? Cutting comment?? Hated nickname?  
How refreshing! That fall must have affected your head!"  
  
Darien stumbled to a stand, determined to retort.  
Serena walked right up to him, causing him to pale further. She poked his cheeks,  
"Mouthful of sweets? Can't make any killer come-backs? That's a shame!"   
  
His face darkened, that was quite enough of that. He had to say something!   
But she was looking right at him, he couldn't spit out the stupid mistletoe!  
  
He paused a moment and then swallowed it. Whole.  
  
Andrew watched him wince as it went down. He shook his head and muffled his own  
laughter in his sleeve.  
  
"He....ate it?" Lita whispered.  
  
"Isn't it poisonous?" Mina queried.  
  
Ami checked her computer, "Well...it is...but then, he should be dead by now,  
so I guess he's immune to it."  
  
"How ironic!" Chuckled Rei.  
  
Serena started to walk away, turning towards the counter and the delicious aroma of cider.   
Darien meanwhile, feeling queasy and more than a little insane, managed to choke out,  
"Oh Meatballhead--"  
  
But his words were cut short as she took off her coat and everyone saw the obvious  
shock and truth take over his features.  
  
In a soft white sweater dress that clung and softened every inch of her, with a delicate   
little silver chain of snowflakes and an enticing v-neck....golden hair curled deliciously...  
she looked like a--like a---  
  
"Goddess..." He breathed. Fortunately she didn't hear...but Andrew and the girls  
did and they exchanged glances.  
  
~Gotcha.~ Thought Andrew.  
  
Now, to get some more mistletoe up.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	4. Chapter 3

Mission Mistletoe  
Chapter 3: The approach, the truce, the great mistletoe fake-out.  
  
author: nat-chan  
e-mail: natia_99@yahoo.com  
genre: first season romance awwwww  
rated: mistletoe G  
disclaimer: o_O "I do not own Sailor--mo--oon  
Fa la la la la, la la la la  
Now I'm scared of Santa to--oo  
Fa la la la la, la la la la..........oy" *sweatdrop*  
*evil serena and darien high five again*  
  
an's: I'm on a roll!!!! e-mail, e-mail the nat-chan!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Darien watched Serena from the corner of the arcade.....holy GAWDS she looked  
amazing...too bad he couldn't tell her...but if he did, the world would surely  
come to a ceasing halt as the very life balance itself was disturbed..right?  
  
Hmm...perhaps....just maybe....he had blown his fear of approaching her a *tad* out  
of proportion.  
  
No no, that couldn't be it. Phew.  
  
But as the change in the light hitting her hair as she sipped at her cider with the other   
girls made his stomach fall out he knew his above relief was a lie.  
  
Sigh.  
  
Suddenly her eyes looked towards him and lit up....a smile made it's way across her  
beautiful lips and she rose, heading eagerly in his direction.  
  
He sucked in a huge breath. Could this be real? It had to be a dream? That breathtaking  
smile--for him?  
  
But as she came closer and he stood nervously, her eyes looked past him, "Molly! You made  
it!!!"  
  
She hugged her friend.  
  
Darien's parade became rather soggy.  
  
Andrew and the girls watched on with amusement.  
  
"Has he always been this obvious?" Rei laughed.  
  
Andrew smiled, "I think it's her dress."  
  
Lita and Mina nodded.  
  
  
Molly and Serena chatted awhile before Molly went to talk to someone else. Serena  
looked around the party when she suddenly frowned, her eyes finding none-other-than Melvin  
looking happily from the overhang by the door to her and back again. A glance to said  
overhang revealed a nasty surprise. Mistletoe.  
  
"What?!?!" She hissed angrily, "Who hung that cursed mistletoe there?"  
  
Darien overheard her and glanced to find it had once again been replaced.   
  
Andrew....  
  
Then his eyes fell on the three flirting girls glancing from the plant of evil to  
himself with obvious intent. His eyes narrowed. He looked over at Serena who's dark  
expression matched his own.  
  
"Every year...every year Andrew hangs that...shudder...stuff up there and I keep ripping  
it down--he must have bought in bulk this year!!!" Darien exclaimed in a low growl.  
  
Serena seemed to consider this a moment, she glanced over at Melvin again and shuddered as  
well.  
  
"I propose we join forces--are you game?"  
  
Darien arched an eyebrow, "Call a mistletoe-destroying truce? I like it..." He rubbed his  
chin thoughtfully, "I really like it."  
  
And together they were formidable. Everytime Andrew or one of the girls put up mistletoe  
Darien or Serena managed to sneak up, remove and annihilate it without a trace.  
  
Then they would return to their partner and exchange congratulations.  
  
"Well executed." Darien would compliment, "Done like a pro."  
  
"Thank you thank you, I learned from the best. You are, quite simply, the master."  
  
He smiled darkly.  
  
But all good things must come to an end....so Andrew was thinking as he eyed the rather  
conspirtorial pair suspiciously.   
  
He turned to the girls, "Alright, the doorway OBVIOUSLY isn't working....perhaps we should   
hang it somewhere else....in secret."  
  
"Good idea!" Smiled Rei, "I'll pretend to hang some in the doorway while YOU hang some...  
..." she scanned the room, "Over there!" She pointed towards the tree.  
  
"Excellent." Andrew smiled, tapping his fingers together like a mob boss.  
  
He looked over at Darien and Serena, "It's allll falling into place...."  
  
*sweatdrop*  
  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, said couple stood chatting amiably--no wait, that couldn't be right--could it?  
But indeed, their truce had forged a pause in fighting long enough for them to notice...  
...they actually got along pretty well.  
  
Darien told a joke--Serena laughed! It was magical!  
  
"You know...you're really not so bad." Serena smiled between laughing, "It's a shame  
we don't find a common goal to hold a truce over more often!"  
  
"I agree!" He chuckled, grabbing two eggnogs to toast the occasion with and handing  
her one, "In fact...I propose, a permanant cease-fire!"  
  
He grinned at her from sparkling navy eyes and a strange falling sensation hit her stomach.  
"What do you say?"  
  
He phrased it in humour but there was the merest speck of hope in his eyes....a tiny  
hint of vulnerability--and suddenly she wanted to be his friend more than anything...to  
laugh with him like this everyday.  
  
"Done! Cheers, to a new era!" She laughed, clinking glasses with him.  
  
And the genuine excitement and joy he couldn't mask hit her hard in the heart. Suddenly  
friends seemed like a shoddy term for the way that deadly smile turned her legs to string.  
  
Hmmm.... that couldn't be good. No, falling for your once-enemy in the dawn of your first  
truce did not seem wise. Not at all.  
  
But Darien caught her sudden blush and the disconcerted look in her eyes and his own  
widened.  
  
"Serena?" He managed, it was barely a whisper, and he was coming closer!!!!  
  
She paled.  
  
Darien gazed hungrily at her. That soft dress...her soft hair...and now that he was  
close enough...that soft soft smell. He absolutely, completely, totally and irreversibly  
HAD to kiss her!  
  
Her eyes fluttered nervously as the delicious scent of his cologne filtered in.  
  
~GREAT, just GREAT. He HAS to smell absolutely fanTASTIC doesn't he? The Gods are   
punishing me!!!!!!!!!~  
  
Darien leaned closer and closer until.....suddenly his eyes widened and--forgetting the  
kiss (he would later kick himself repeatedly for this)--whispered in her ear instead--making  
her shiver.  
  
"Serena...Andrew's hanging more mistletoe!"  
  
Andrew indeed, was sneaking up a ladder by the Christmas tree, mistletoe in hand,  
looking surreptisiously from side to side.  
  
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT???!!!!!" Cried Serena turning around so suddenly she bonked Darien  
in the nose---he held the aching appendage and watched in something of slow motion as  
her shriek startled Andrew on the already unstable looking ladder and he began to teeter  
helplessly.  
  
"Who-a!....help?" He managed as the ladder tipped right over. He grabbed the Christmas  
tree in panic and took it crashing to the ground, ornaments and tinsel breaking his fall...  
the mistletoe flew out of his hand and landed at Darien's feet where he promptly ground it  
to a find dust under his heel and scuffed it away.  
  
Andrew might never know how much of the floor dust was actually mistletoe.....  
  
"Andrew! Are you alright?!" Cried Rei and Mina from the doorway.  
  
Darien and Serena turned to look at them.  
  
"A distraction!" Darien hissed, "So they could hang more in the doorway!"  
  
He grabbed Serena's arm and dragged her to the entrance as Rei and Mina ran to aid  
their fallen co-conspirator.  
  
"Let's just stand here, guard this spot, and NOT move!" He said in frustration.  
  
I mean, sure he'd love to kiss Serena, but on his own time!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plus, with his  
luck he'd get stuck under it with someone else. He glanced to the three flirting girls  
from earlier, they waved coyly and blew kisses and he shuddered. Serena followed his  
gaze and giggled. Then she pointed towards Melvin who kept glancing from her to the   
ceiling in search of mistletoe.   
  
"Gods help us..." He said, gripping her shoulders.  
  
She met his eyes, "If we just stay here together, I think we're safe...."  
  
"Right...." He replied looking around carefully before relaxing.  
  
"So, tell me the story of your life." He smiled bewitchingly at her, leaning casually against  
the glass door frame.  
  
She laughed, "Well...."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	5. Chapter 4

Mission Mistletoe  
Chapter 4: We need some sort of tool....  
  
author: nat-chan  
e-mail: natia_99@yahoo.com  
genre: first season romance awwwww  
rated: mistletoe G  
disclaimer: *blare of harmonica* I do not own sailormoon. what? You were expecting  
a song and dance?  
  
an's: Merry Christmas minna!!!! Love and Joy to all my pals:  
Grace-chan, Bunny-chan, Kuris-chan, Sweet-chan, D-chan, Chibi-chan, Jess-chan,  
Loralei-chan, Linda-chan, Skye-chan and Stef-chan for interviewing me for Lunar Chronicles!  
*blushes*  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The girls watched in mute fascination as Serena and Darien chatted endlessly  
in the doorway. Andrew had fallen asleep on his arm.  
  
"What are they doing?" Groaned Rei, "Telling their life stories?!?" (ahhh irony)  
  
Everyone sweatdropped. Over an hour had passed and they had simply sat and stared as   
first Serena had talked in length while Darien listened and now vice versa.   
  
"Liiiike, HOW are they NOT fighting? I mean, even if they called a truce, where's their  
usual spark and flame?" Lita sighed from where her head was buried in her arms, she peaked  
betwen her elbows at them.  
  
"Lita, they've never actually taken the time to speak decently to one another--there's lots  
they probably don't know about one another." Ami said practically.  
  
"Oy, Ami, how can you always be so logical???!!!!" Mina groaned.  
  
Andrew shifted, "No...there's more mistletoe...I bought lots...this year..." He muttered  
in his sleep. The girls sweatdropped.   
  
Poor obsessed Andrew.  
  
"Ugh, now they're hugging?" Rei grumbled looking over to where Serena impulsively  
hugged her sworn enemy.  
  
Andrew's eyes shot open, "Hugging???? THAT'S IT!!!!!! I'm taking matters into my own  
hands!!!!!"  
  
The four girls shifted their eyes to Andrew skeptically, "Uhhh, Andrew, we can't get them  
under mistletoe if they don't move from that spot."  
  
Andrew's eyes became wilder, "Well, then...we'll just have to....hang it above them!"  
He finished with a thrust of his shoulders and pointing of his finger as though he had  
just uttered the single most intelligent and inspired wisdom ever proclaimed.  
  
Perhaps he had.  
  
Rei thought not.  
  
"Andrew? Are you nuts?! We can't hang it over them without their noticing!!!!"  
  
But now Mina joined forces with said Andrew, "I dunno Rei, they ARE pretty wrapped up in  
each other, if we could sneak it over them carefully they might not notice."  
  
Lita perked up, "Yeah, maybe if we could suspend if from something and just sorta stick  
it up there."  
  
Andrew rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "We need some sort of tool...."  
  
................................  
  
Let's rewind a bit while they work on that shall we?  
  
uhem. vrrrrrrmmmmmmm.....rewind to before the hug and we'll see Serena and Darien's viewpoint.  
  
  
  
Darien leaned back comfortably against the doorframe and listened to Serena in earnest.  
He's always enjoyed her chatter from afar and listening to her speak seriously was even  
better. He listened as she detailed her childhood with her parents and brother....her likes  
her dislikes, her favorite colour.....something about they way she formed her words, that  
cute little scrunch to her nose when she talked about something unpleasant....she was so...  
...true and unpretentious....and honest....  
  
He smiled at the good parts and frowned at the bad...it was better than a really good movie.  
  
He was hooked.  
  
She looked up at his intense gaze and faltered, "Er...this must be very boring for you...so  
tell me about your childhood? Did you terrorize your parents as much as you've terrorized  
me?"  
  
The ashen colour his face took on....the flash of pain in his eyes.....she took them like  
a sharp kick to the stomach.  
  
"What is it?" She whispered, instinctively stepping closer.  
  
He managed a weak smile, "I wouldn't know....I lost both my parents in a car accident when  
I was six...I survived but with severe amnesia...I can't remember them...."  
  
"Oh Darien..." She managed, "What happened to you afterwards?"  
  
"I lived in an orphanage until I was old enough to get a job. Then I moved out to  
my own place."  
  
Her eyes turned a most startling shade of blue then, "Weren't you lonely?"  
  
He choked. What was he supposed to say--that he'd never realized he was until he  
met her?   
  
He smiled gently, his own blue eyes softening in a way she had never seen before,  
"Sometimes. But not anymore."  
  
She smiled, "I'm glad." Impulsively she hugged him and he narrowly escaped falling   
to his knees....the soft sweet smell of her....addictive.  
  
"Thank you for telling me."  
  
Then the moment passed and she was asking him about his studies...about his job...about  
his life...everything.  
  
And stranger still....he was answering her! Why was that? Maybe the way he was drowning  
in her beautiful eyes had something to do with it.  
  
Sigh.  
  
Serena for her part couldn't believe this suddenly softer side of the former-baka. Why, it  
was positively...unnerving....how had she never noticed how utterly wonderful he really was?  
Perhaps because his usual greeting to her included the dreaded nickname? But these thoughts  
were far from her mind as she gazed deep into his eyes and realized she might never return  
from the sweet place she found there.  
  
On and on they talked.....drowning...falling....suddenly that mistletoe didn't seem like  
such a bad idea.  
  
In fact, thought Darien, who really needed mistletoe? It wasn't some wretched, spiky,   
indigestable--his stomach gurgled to remind him--plant that inspired him to kiss Serena,  
it was her beauty...in all ways....his eyes drifted to her mouth....so sweet....  
  
  
ahem, nat-chan here, *points hands out in director-like fashion (Hey, I AM a film student  
afterall)......PULL BACK TO REVEAL:  
  
Andrew crouched on the floor with the four girls. They had fashioned a long stick out of  
at least a hundred straws. And attached to the end was the last piece of mistletoe....  
  
Andrew, Lita, Rei and Mina all gripped it steadly as Ami used her calculator (ofcourse)  
and navigated them to stick it above Serena and Darien.   
  
"A little more to the left, steady now.....no, get the taped side facing the other way...  
that's it..." Ami encouraged.  
  
"Southeast.....northwest....ugh THAT WAY!!!" She pointed.  
  
"Mina! Stop elbowing me in the face!"   
  
"Perhaps if you removed your knee from my stomach REI!!!"  
  
"Guys, pipe it down, this takes focus and concentration..." Lita grumbled as the rickety  
straws teetered dangerously, stretching and bending....  
  
Some of the other party-goers glanced over to see the strange sight....a piece of mistletoe  
suspsended from an unnatural length of straws slowly gliding towards the doorway where a couple  
stood lost in conversation.  
  
hmmm...  
  
They managed to get it close....almost...  
  
"Just a little closer...careful now don't drop it!" Ami urged.  
  
So intent were they on their goal that they failed to notice Darien leaning down...as though  
preparing to kiss the odango-ed one!  
  
And indeed he was! Resistence was futile. He didn't just like her--he loved her!  
  
"Meatballhead..." He murmured and the way he said it caused her eyes to widen as he leaned   
down, "I..."  
  
And then he kissed her....just once, gently, softly....  
  
"....think I love you..." He finished softly as he pulled away.  
  
Her eyes shone a thousand emotions at him, "Darien......really?" And her voice was  
traced with the barest thread of hope....making him grin like a regular idiot.  
  
"Yup."  
  
She smiled, "Me too..." She leaned up and met him halfway.  
  
Then....SMACK! Something hit them on the head and then cluttered to the floor.  
  
"Huh?" Serena said dazed as she pulled away and rubbed her head.  
  
Suddenly the girls and Andrew popped up from behind the counter.  
  
"You dropped it!" They all exclaimed at once, pointing at each other.  
  
"Guys, I think they were already kissing." Ami cut in carefully, wincing at their responses.  
  
"Huh?!?" They managed, all staring over to where Darien still had his hands on Serena's  
shoulders as the two stared at them oddly.  
  
Andrew lost it at this moment, "WHAT?!? ALREADY KISSING?!? AND NOT UNDER *MYYYYYYYYY*  
MISTLETOE?!!?!?!?!@(!&*(&#^@*&$^*"  
  
He jumped clear over the counter, stalked over to them and ripped up the straws and   
mistletoe, tearing it off and glaring daggers at them, "WHAT A WASTE OF TIME!!!!"  
  
Then he stomped back to Mina, "I COULD HAVE BEEN KISSING MINA!!!!!"  
And that said, he stuck the mistletoe above them as he swung her into his arms and  
kissed her full on the mouth.  
  
"Huh??!!" The other girls managed, then shook their heads.  
  
"This is the last time I get involved in one of these schemes." Ami sighed.  
  
Serena and Darien simply exchanged smiles of triumph and returned to kissing....  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The End....yeah right!!! Can nat-chan EVER resist an epilogue? There will be  
an epilogue..oh yes....  
  
So keep an eye out for it, titled: REVENGE!!!! heh heh...hope ya liked! Mail Moi?  
Onegai? *pout* 


	6. Epilogue

Mission Mistletoe  
Epilogue: REVENGE!!!!! *evil laughter echoes strangely*  
  
author: nat-chan  
e-mail: natia_99@yahoo.com  
genre: first season romance awwwww  
rated: mistletoe G  
disclaimer: Do you know minna, I'd never even seen real mistletoe  
before until this past Christmas? I was in this flower shop and  
spotted some packaged...except it was dried out....so I asked  
the girl working there, "Is that...dried out mistletoe?"  
When she nodded I was like "Why would anyone want DEAD mistletoe???"  
She just gave me this look like ~Do I look like the kind of person  
who would waste the hours of my job contemplating that totally  
irrelovant fact?~  
  
Jeesh, some people I tell you.  
  
Oh er, so the point is, I don't own any mistetoe....mumblemutterorsailormoonmutter.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was now some time later...  
  
Mina and Andrew stood giggling in some corner, hearts in their eyes. Mina had pinned  
the mistletoe in her hair....Serena knew the romantic girl would keep it forever as   
a momento.  
  
sigh.  
  
Serena stood in the doorway as Darien cut across the room to her.  
  
"Did you make the calls?" She asked calmly.  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Excellent...."  
  
They smiled secret evil smiles at one another and leaned up close, lips a mere breath  
apart. To anyone else, they looked like lovers entranced in their own little world....  
that was somewhat true....but these two were in their own little world of...EVIL.  
  
"Is the mistletoe still where we left it?" He whispered seductively in her ear.  
  
"Mmhmm..." She giggled.  
  
"I love you..." He joked in a suave criminal type voice, but he meant it.  
  
She giggled again, "Together, we shall rule the world!" (In later years she was to  
remember this comment and burst out in uncontrollable laughter at a very important  
royal meeting in the palace of Crystal Tokyo....)  
  
She looked into his eyes, "I love you too..."  
  
Then they really were lost in their own little world.  
  
"Serena...that dress..." He murmured as his hands clung to her soft waist.  
  
She blushed, "You really like it?" She asked, suddenly shy again.  
  
He leaned down and kissed her neck making her muffle an embarassed squeal in his shoulder,  
"If I answer that you'll be forcing me to admit that I like letting you drive me crazy!"  
  
She let her fingers wander into his dark hair then and kissed him for being so sweet.  
  
Rei, Lita and Ami stood over near the now bald and rather straggly Christmas tree.  
Rei scowled blackly.  
  
"You know," She said bitterly, looking from Mina and Andrew to Serena and Darien,  
"All this kissy-kissy romance is making me want to ralph!"  
  
Lita and Ami sweatdropped.  
  
Lita's fists balled, "Who knew this party would turn into one of THOSE parties....maybe  
we should pound a few people back into sense."  
  
She turned to Andrew and they followed her gaze, "Like Andrew and Mina for their bonehead  
matchmaking scheme for starters!!!!"  
  
Ami sweatdropped....oh no, now she was all alone with the two tempermental scouts...and   
they were looking for a fight....  
  
~Why me?~ Thought Ami, she rolled her eyes and that's when she saw it....mistletoe...sooo  
much mistletoe....everywhere...hung in every corner and cranny.  
  
Her eyes shot over to Serena and Darien but they were gone...then her eyes glanced through the  
arcade doors and outside...and widened in horror.  
  
"L-l-lita....Rei...."  
  
"What?" They exclaimed in annoyed unison, still planning the tar and feathering of  
the lovestruck Andrew and Mina--matchmakers extraordinaire.  
  
"It-It's....it's Chad...and Ken...and and G-g-g-reg...." She croaked.  
  
They turned frowning just as the three strolled into the arcade.  
  
"What are THEY doing here?" Rei snapped, then turned to Ami, "And what's the big  
deal anyway?"  
  
"Look up." Ami whispered, suddenly feeling faint.  
  
Lita and Rei looked slowly up...a feeling of impending doom in their hearts.  
  
"Uh oh...."  
  
  
Serena and Darien stood off to one side, high fiving.  
  
Revenge....  
  
  
The three boys looked around for their friends....Rei gripped Ami's arm, then Lita's.  
"Run..."  
  
They took off in opposite directions, trying to duck out of their respective guy's gazes  
and find a place devoid of mistletoe....but alas, Darien and Serena had accumulated  
mass amounts of it....even after grinding much of it to a find dust....  
  
Rei was the first to be cornered....Chad spotted her.  
  
"Hey Rei!" Chad greeted, heading over.  
  
Rei's violet eyes widened, gazing desperately from side to side....there were people  
everywhere! She didn't have time to get away.  
  
A desperate glance upwards revealed mistletoe...everywhere.....  
  
"No! Chad! Don't--"  
  
"Don't what Rei?" He was already in front of her...  
  
Rei chanced a glance over and spotted Serena and Darien smiling at her. Serena was  
laughing and pointing at her. Rei's eyes narrowed.  
  
Chad touched her shoulder, "Hey..earth to Rei..."  
  
Rei's gaze shot back to Chad, then upwards to the mistletoe. Chad followed her gaze and  
instantly turned a bright bright red.  
  
"...dude...."  
  
Rei sweatdropped, then started yelling, "CHAAAAAD!!!! YOU JUST *HAD* TO COME TO THE CHRISTMAS  
PARTY DIDN'T YOU! AND DID YOU LISTEN TO ME WHEN I WARNED YOU NOT TO COME OVER HERE??? *NO*!  
NOW LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!!!!"  
  
Then she kissed him.   
  
Serena and Darien high-fived again, "Darling, you're a genius." She complimented.  
  
"Hey, this was a joint effort. You thought of the guys....I thought of the mistletoe."  
  
"Touche...now, where's Lita?"  
  
Lita was threatening an approaching Ken with violence....  
"KEN! I'M WARNING YOU! NOT A STEP CLOSER! I'LL ATTACK I SWEAR!"  
  
Ken gazed at her wonderingly, "Lita...what in world?"  
  
He came closer and instead of attacking she turned to bolt away in sheer terror.  
Unfortunately the Christmas tree hampered her efforts.  
  
The tall, abused tree shook and bent, then flung her backwards, straight into Ken, scraping  
some mistletoe off the ceiling in the process and sending it floating down in a small rain  
of green around them as they lay sprawled across each other on the floor.  
  
Ken looked around them, "It's...raining mistletoe?" He managed dazedly.  
  
"Ken, I'm going to beat the living daylights out of you!" She growled, but instead  
she grabbed his neck and pulled him into a kiss.  
  
Ken's half-dizzy mind shut off completely.  
  
Serena chuckled, "That one was pretty funny...."  
  
Darien laughed as well, "That Christmas tree.....just look at it...."   
  
Serena turned and the two bent over in chokes of unrestrained laughter. It was missing  
chunks of needles in various locations...all the ornaments were gone, the top was bent  
and streaks of tinsel clung to the bottom branches in disarray.  
  
Darien collected himself first, "Now...where'd Greg and Ami go....?"  
  
They spotted Greg edging backwards towards the arcade doors...evidentally he'd borne  
witness to the first two incidents and put everything together himself...now he was  
looking about wildly and trying for an escape.  
  
"Uh oh, we'd better do something." Said Serena and started towards him when Darien  
pulled her to a stop.  
  
"No need...." He murmured pointing.  
  
Ami was edging backwards towards Greg and the door as well. A collision was inevitable.  
  
Darien and Serena simply stood and waited.  
  
It was worth the wait.  
  
CLUNK.  
  
A panicked Greg and Ami flung themselves around,  
  
"Oh! I'm sorry I--"  
  
"GREG!"  
  
"AMI!"  
  
They were nose to nose....tomatoe red.  
  
Ami broke down then, burying her embarassed face in his chest and wailing,  
"I never MEANT to get involved in all this Greg! It's not my fault! I thought this  
whole scheme was a terrible idea!"  
  
Greg frowned in confusion...what on EARTH was she talking about???  
"Uh...there there Ames..." he patted her back awkwardly.  
  
He glanced around, then leaned down to whisper, "Ames...maybe if we just slip out the door  
no one will notice..."  
  
Ami looked up hopefully.  
  
Suddenly they were surrounded, eyes glaring at them from all directions.  
  
Lita, Ken, Rei, Chad, Serena, Darien......  
  
"Oh no you don't!"  
  
Greg and Ami turned red once again.   
  
Everyone stared expectantly.  
  
Greg frowned and took off his coat, throwing it over their heads so no one could see.  
But then they stayed in that coat for a long long time....  
  
Serena giggled and pulled Darien away, "Our work is done..."  
  
Then our heroes tucked themselves in a dark corner.  
  
"Now....where were we?" Serena smiled, arms wrapping around his neck.  
  
Darien grinned and kissed her.....and this continued for some time without interuption.  
Finally, when Serena pulled breathlessly away and saw Darien's eyes clouded to her satisfaction  
she voiced the one small thing that had been on her mind since the first kiss.  
  
"Uhhh...Darien?"  
  
"Yes Serena?"  
  
"This is probably going to sound crazy....but,uh....your kisses kind of taste like...mistletoe."  
  
SWEATDROP  
  
"Uh..heh heh heh...you must be crazy Serena...."  
  
Hey, some secrets were best kept to oneself. ^_~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
that's all folks, hope you enjoyed as much as I enjoyed writing it...snicker snicker.... 


End file.
